A number of online sources, including
Variety and
Collider, are reporting some fairly breaking Transformers news from Machinima, and their new collaboration with Hasbro: the Titans Return animated series, sequel to Combiner Wars! It looks like the first iteration went down well enough to increase budget - and new voice actors have been brought in, shuffling around most of the cast.
That means we will now be hearing the likes of Peter Cullen, Judd Nelson, Michael Dorn, Wil Wheaton, Nolan North, and Jason David Frank, with the first two reprising their staple roles, and the latter working on Fortress Maximus, Perceptor, Metroplex, and Emissary. Check out more info below!
“Transformers: Titans Return” will feature the voice talents of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime — the role he originated for the original 1980s animated TV show – along with Wil Wheaton, Judd Nelson, Michael Dorn and Jason David Frank in the digital series from Warner Bros.’ Machinima and toy giant Hasbro.
The series is the second installment in the Transformers “Prime Wars” trilogy. “Titans Return” will premiere in November exclusively on Verizon’s Go90 video service worldwide, except in China where it will be available on Sohu.com. The series comprises 10 episodes, each about 11 minutes long. Hasbro last year rolled out the Titans Return toy line in the Transformers Generations series.
The first chapter of the trilogy, “Transformers: Combiner Wars,” has generated more than 125 million views since debuting in August 2016, exclusively on Go90 in the U.S., according to Machinima.
In “Titans Return,” Nelson reprises his roles of Rodimus Prime and Hot Rod from the 1986 animated “Transformers” movie. The show also features Wheaton as Perceptor; Dorn as Fortress Maximus; North as Metroplex; and Frank as Emissary.
Those new cast members join returning talent from “Combiner Wars,” including Abby Trott (voice of Windblade), Jason Marnocha (Megatron), Frank Todaro (Starscream), Lana McKissack (Mistress of Flame), and DashieGames (Menasor).
In addition, Machinima and Hasbro have added other YouTube influencers to the cast, in a bid to lure the digital stars’ fans to “Titans Return,” including MatPat, creator of the YouTube channels Game Theorist, Film Theorist, GT Live and MatPat’s Game Lab; Rob Dyke, a YouTube influencer best known for “Seriously Strange”; and Tay Zonday, best known for his viral “Chocolate Rain” video.
“Titans Return” picks up where the destruction of “Combiner Wars” left off. In the series, the gigantic Transformers called Titans are awakened and cause massive problems. Trypticon, a gigantic lizard-like Transformer, rises to wreak havoc on Cybertron, while Windblade and a ragtag team of Transformers must resurrect an ancient ally. The conflict will transform beloved heroes forever — while some Transformers will be blown to oblivion.
“Titans Return” is being overseen by Executive Producer and showrunner FJ DeSanto. Here’s a look at the new cast members:
Peter Cullen (OPTIMUS PRIME): The original Optimus Prime from the Transformers animated television series.
Judd Nelson (RODIMUS PRIME / HOT ROD): The famed actor from The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire reprising roles from the 1986 animated Transformers movie.
Michael Dorn (FORTRESS MAXIMUS): Starred in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Wil Wheaton (PERCEPTOR): Star of Big Bang Theory and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Jason David Frank (EMISSARY): Original Green Ranger from the Power Rangers TV series.
Nolan North (METROPLEX): Iconic voice actor featured in Uncharted, Halo, and Assassins Creed video games.